Senate President Godswill Akpabio has strongly denied claims made by suspended lawmaker Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who alleged that he had conspired with former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to assassinate her. The controversial accusation surfaced during a recent Sallah visit by Akpoti-Uduaghan to Kogi Central in March 2025, where she warned Nigerians to hold Akpabio and Bello responsible should anything happen to her.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, the representative for Kogi Central, made the grave claim during her visit, sparking significant attention. She called on the public to monitor the activities of Akpabio and Bello closely, emphasizing that they should be held accountable for her safety. The allegation, coming from a prominent member of the National Assembly, quickly gained media traction and has since been widely discussed.
However, Akpabio’s office has vehemently rejected the accusations. In a statement issued by his media aide, Eseme Eyibo, the Senate President described the allegations as “malicious and false.” Eyibo emphasized that the accusations were a “complete fabrication” and deemed them a “dangerous attempt to provoke public unrest” for ulterior motives.
“This outrageous accusation is not only false but a complete fabrication and deeply irresponsible,” Eyibo said. “It is a dangerous attempt to provoke public unrest, attract media attention, and discredit the person and office of the President of the Senate.” He further added that the allegations were part of a continued campaign by Akpoti-Uduaghan to tarnish Akpabio’s reputation.
Eyibo also pointed to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s previous claims of sexual harassment against Akpabio, which she had made in the past but later abandoned without explanation. “It is important to remind the public that this same individual had previously made an unsubstantiated accusation of sexual harassment against Senator Akpabio,” Eyibo stated. “A claim she seems to have abandoned without explanation.”
The Senate President’s office argued that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s decision to escalate her claims from harassment to an assassination plot was a deliberate strategy to gain attention and discredit Akpabio further. “Having failed to gain traction with that narrative, she has now escalated her campaign of misinformation to a deadly and defamatory dimension,” Eyibo concluded.
